Dennis was recommending the Genelex - Gold Lion. Will start with his recommendation. The amp of course will allow all sorts of tube rolling options.

Internet chatter suggests the GL are the best current production KT77. GEC the best NOS, but rare and ridiculously expensive. I've not heard any. Guitar players are posting that the KT77 is very similar to the EL34 but many seem to prefer it.

It is curious to me that he makes so many variants of the SEP Inspire. They all seem to run the same array of power tubes. Is it that each design is optimized for the tube he names it for?

Thanks for all the welcome words guys! I am indeed using Pope 6V6 tubes with Sophia 274B's. The Pope's are still burning in though, as they were recently purchased from Upscale Audio. They seem to sound a little more clinical than the RCA 6V6GT's in my KT-88 amp. Maybe this will change with 100 hours of burn in or so.

Will ask him, when I speak to him later this week. He recommended the KT77 based on my speakers (ProAc Response 1SC)

Looking forward to hearing your response. It seems the possibility of tube combinations goes on forever in these designs, in comparison to other tube amps of course. Tube rolling can become expensive, as we all want to try out so many of the possibilities. Fun, fun, fun!

So, assuming some burn in is desired, can leaving an amp on, no music playing, help burn in a tube, or does there need to be music playing through the amp? An inquiring mind wants to know. :music:

Initial listen to a Voskhod "Rocket" 6n23p was very favorable. I'd like to give it twenty hours or so then listen some more.

I'm wary of "initial listens" though. Sometimes different sounds better until I settle in with it. It sometimes ends up irritating (sometimes not, like with the Popes - they sounded good at first and still sound good! :thumbsup:).

Both the folks at Cary and at Decware said Break in need signal to be going through the amp. Nothing running through will still burn tube life but not break in the rest of the amp.

It's the tube I want to burn in. Amp is well broken in. Thanks.

Thoughts on preamplifiers. Has anyone compared running these amps off other preamplifiers vs lp-1 or lp-2? I am looking at ordering one from Dennis to match my 6v6 amp. Comments on synergy, Lp1 or lp2 listening impressions? Currently I am using my Burson
Audio ha160d to drive it and am quite happy. However I think it might not be showing me all that is capable of

Thoughts on preamplifiers. Has anyone compared running these amps off other preamplifiers vs lp-1 or lp-2? I am looking at ordering one from Dennis to match my 6v6 amp. Comments on synergy, Lp1 or lp2 listening impressions? Currently I am using my Burson
Audio ha160d to drive it and am quite happy. However I think it might not be showing me all that is capable of